Notes

*In French "coucou" is the name of the bird and it's also the "song" that he sings. It can also mean "peek-a-boo" or "hi".

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Comments

There's another version with the last 2 lines sung differently:

(1) Dans la forêt lointaineOn entend le coucou

(2) Du haut de son grand chêneIl répond au hibou :

(3) "Coucou hibou, coucou hibou,Coucou hibou, coucou."

English Translation:

1. In the faraway forestYou can hear the cuckoo

2. From the top of the big oakIt answers the owl:

3. "Cuckoo owl, cuckoo owl,Cuckoo owl, cuckoo."

The last two lines can either be understood as a call-and-answer, with the owl calling "cuckoo" and the cuckoo calling back "owl", or it can be understood as only the cuckoo calling, "Cuckoo owl, cuckoo owl". In the latter case, "cuckoo" can also mean "peek-a-boo" or "hi!".

Sheet Music

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Monique Palomares for contributing and translating this song and for creating the midi music. Thanks to Lila Pomerantz for the illustration!

Merci beaucoup!

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